Self-Inflating Camping Pad with Pillow by Itechzhu

We're preparing for an upcoming Cub Scout camping trip with my 9 year old son, and I ordered this mat to have a comfortable pad to sleep on. After testing it out, I'm impressed with how easy it is to inflate. Simply loosen the cap by unscrewing it and air starts to flow inside to puff up the material. (The material is called "75D Polyester Pongee fabric.") Easy!
I have a similar camping mat like this and I decided we need another one since two people will be camping. After comparing both brands, I like this one better since it's a bit puffier and wider. This one would be best for my husband to sleep on and the other one can be for our son. If I had two of this same brand, I could snap them together to make two connected pads for a larger mat size. That's pretty cool!
Pros:
1) I prefer this type of mat. It's squishy and soft, without being too thick like a traditional air inflated mattress. Those always seem to lose air throughout the night. I've ended up flat on the ground before! LOL (Plus, who loves to take a lot of time to blow them up?? No way! OR make sure to bring a battery operated air pump!) Ugh. Nope.
2) The attached pillow inflates by blowing it up the old fashioned way. On my other camping mat, I don't even like to use the pillow section that blows up. Instead, I bring a pillow from home. Yeah, I know ... it's not true outdoorsy "super survivalist" type of camping we do. When we camp as a family, I pack a mini-van FULL of stuff! haha (I also have a self-inflating camping pillow that is really comfy, compared with blow up pillow) If it's just my husband and son on a Cub Scout weekend I don't attend (smaller tent, less gear), the packing is simplified.
3) I like that the straps and buckles that secure this mat when it's rolled up are connected so they won't get lost. I prefer this since my other mat has bands that stretch and are not connected. I'm sure I'll lose them at some point.
4) We tested this mat with a 6 foot tall adult and it's long enough! It fits nicely in the tent too. Perfect size for an adult length sleeping bag!
:)
Cons:
If you REALLY want a space saving item, there are mats that roll up smaller. The trade-off is they don't get quite as puffy. My other mat is smaller once it's deflated and rolled up tightly (folds in half, so it's not as long). Since I'm not trying to be a professional "adventure camper" and store it in a backpack, it's really no big deal to me.
Overall, this works great as a buffer between you and the ground. My son uses the other one as a nap mat or sleeping pad when a friend stays over. It's a lot more comfortable than sleeping on the ground or floor WITHOUT a mat of course! The biggest benefit is ease of use and it quickly self-inflates. IF you like to use blow up pillows (they make my neck ache), then you can inflate that part manually if you want to. For our Cub Scout camping, fast setup is awesome, so this gets the job done.
You can find this link on Amazon here: amzn.to/2cd7ucX
Amazon item name:
Itechzhu 2 In Thick Lightweight Self-Inflating Pad with Pillow Camping Hiking Tent
by Itechzhu
DISCLAIMER:
I was very happy to receive this camping mat at a discounted price in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I created this video with the RUclips Video Editor ( / editor )